Vice Chancellor Castro to be Honored by Beijing Municipal Commission of Education
Joseph Castro, PhD, vice chancellor for Students Academic Affairs at UCSF, will be awarded the International Cooperation Dedication Award from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, which includes 91 top Chinese research universities and thousands of the best high schools, primary schools and kindergartens in Beijing, China.
Joseph Castro, PhD
The award is the most prestigious education award presented to an international educator whose influence, dedication and work impacts higher education collaboration on the international stage.
“Vice Chancellor Castro and his colleagues are leading the way in forging excellent relationships with our colleagues in China for the betterment of our students’ educational experience,” said Lawrence H. Pitts, provost and executive vice president of the University of California upon learning the news of Castro’s award. “This award is a testament to the growing partnership of our two countries in promoting international higher education. The University of California looks forward to a long and prosperous relationship with higher education colleagues in China.”
Castro will receive the award at a ceremony in Beijing, China on June 17, during the grand opening ceremony of the 2011 Beijing Education Expo.
The education expo is one of the most influential education expos in China attracting more than 500,000 visitors annually from all over the world to Beijing. Attendees will include the administrator of China Education Administration, mayor of Beijing, director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, and 500 chancellors, vice chancellors, Chinese educators and student representatives from the top 100 Chinese research universities.
"We congratulate Dr. Castro's vision and special dedication in joining with the Legends of China Foundation to promote international cooperation in higher education via the model cultural and education exchange program, "The Silk Road to the Future," said Deputy Director Wang Min Zhong of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. “With his support the program has flourished by connecting 5,000-plus University of California students, faculty, and staff to 5,000-plus Chinese students, faculty and staff to meet in China and the United States, thus establishing a solid educational and cultural relationship between our two nations."
Edward Lee, mayor of the City of San Francisco, shares this value of promoting cultural understanding. "I want to congratulate Dr. Castro on receiving this important award. Dr. Castro's work with his UCSF colleagues promoting cultural understanding and educational collaboration are essential ingredients for success in this global economy. His work is strategically positioning San Francisco and California so that we can grow our economy."
International Vision
The University of California thrives on transformation. The game-changing discoveries in technology, medicine, culture and creativity that begin on the 10 campuses ripple throughout the United States and world. The University of California campus communities benefit greatly from the diversity of perspectives that more than 15,000 international students provide.
“Vice Chancellor Joe Castro has done a phenomenal job in promoting opportunities for UC students to become international citizens and global thinkers,” said Jeff Bluestone, PhD, executive vice chancellor and provost at UCSF. “Through the partnership with the Legend of China, our students have experiences that are preparing them for careers in our rapidly changing, mobile world; and are gaining the skills necessary for success in the global marketplace. Through his work with students, Joe has been instrumental to our international vision and I am delighted to see him honored in this way.”
At UCSF, Castro and his colleagues are at the forefront in educating the next generation of health care leaders to adapt to global challenges, as well as the rapid changes in such areas as health care technology and translating research breakthroughs into better patient care. UCSF is among the nation’s premier health sciences campuses and is world-renowned for educational excellence. Its four professional schools – dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy – as well as its Graduate Division consistently rank among the top programs nationwide in their fields and attract the world’s finest students.
UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, expressed her hope for the future. “I am excited by the future possibilities that will result from a close-knit relationship between the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and UCSF. Vice Chancellor Castro’s valuable work in this area supports UCSF’s mission to advance health worldwide. ”